Acetylene-lamp



H. J. BROWNE. ACETYLENE LAMP. APPLICATION FILED MAYZZ, I918.

1,360,878. Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

ill. i

PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT J; OF WASfiINGTON', DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

c'E'TYILENE IJAMPI Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 30, 1920.

7 Application filed ma 22, 1918'. Serial No. 236,057.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT J. BROWNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has as its objective the provision of a simpleilhu'ninating" device of the gas generating" type designed particularly for service in trenches, dugout's, camp quarters or the like,-its utility, however, not being necessarily confined to such.

It is of the essence of" this invention-that the device possess simplicityof construction and be one which from the manufacturing standpoint may be cheaply made, yet' at the same time onefwhich shall be positive in action to aff'ord'a suitable illumination of the desired intensity as well as one readily cared-for by the user. To thi'send the invention embodies a container so ar ranged or'construc'ted as to provide for gas generation" and supply to a suitable burner upon the commingling' of the'prop'er gasforming; substances, the action being' automatic throughout.

As regards novel characteristics, it may be noted that since carbid isemployed as quite for theauto'matic feed'of water to the'supply of this substance in such manner that thega's pressure will adequately care for the proper flOWfOf the water i'n-theproportion required for the maintenance of the gas: supply as the latter is used; and, secondly, I rovide means so controlling the gas'generation as to insure that the illumination will; be steady or nonfluctuating'; and, lastly,I' pro vide an assemblage of parts enabling the parts to bejeasily cleaned and replenished as to'the gas-forming substancesreferred to.

These'and such other objects as'may hereinafter appear are attained: bythe novel; construction, 'c'ombmation and arrangement I of partsto be hereinafter specifically described and claimed. Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings forming? a part of thisspecificatioh, wherein-:-+

' igure 1 is a vertical" sectional view of anapparatus constructed inaccorda nce'with myinvention; I I

' Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sectional viewson the respective lines'2= 2,' of Fig.1.; i 1

Fig. 4' is a sectional view on the line 4- terlocki'ng'conne'ction between the inner receptacle sections; and

F ig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing the'formation of the flange element of the interlocking means between the inner and outer receptacles. 7

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates an outer receptacle of any desired shape and size but preferably provided at one side with a suitable handle 2 which latter is formed with an aperture 8 by means of which the apparatus may be suspended from a wall or other support. This outer receptacle is adapted to contain a suitable supply of water which surrounds an inner receptacle of relatively smaller diameter and consistingof the lower holding section 4 and the upper or covering section 5 of sleevelike form loosely fitting'over the said lower section. It should be observed that the space between these parts in the drawing, is sufiicientto admit asmall quantity of water to stand therein to provide a liquid seal bet-ween these parts while the outer column similarly forms the liquid seal between the outer andinner containers 1 and 5.

As shown clearly in Fig. 1, the bottom" of the outer receptacle is provided with small protuberances 6 preferably formed by pressing the metal of thebottom inwardly, these protuberances constituting a seat 11 -on which the inner receptacle is disposed. he inner receptacle is held in; proper position upon this seat by suitable interlocking means consisting in the embodiment herein disclosed of spaced angular pieces 7 attached to the outer receptacle about its mouth, and an annular flange 8 surrounding the upper portion of the covering section 5 of the inner receptacle. This flange is notched as indicated at 9 so thatthe' angular pieces 7 will pass therethrough andbeneath the flange wheat-he inner receptacle is positioned in operativerelation within-the outer container.

accidentaldisplacement of the parts in-use;

Any'other suitable interlocking connection be employed in lieu of this just described. In addition to the foregoing the inner receptacle sections are preferably conby: a bayonet slotand pin' arrangeis utilized for generating apparatus is disposed within the inner ;1'e-. ceptacle and aboutthis conical portion. The 1 amount of carbid which is utilized is prefer-v ment indicated at 10 and in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

The inner} receptacle is provided with a conical feed passage 11 which extends upwardly within the same so as to bring the feed aperture 12 establishing communica-- 'tion between the-outer receptacle and the inner receptacle at a suitable height above the bottomof the latter.- The carbid which the gas forthis ably not greater than-will besuliijcient for supplying gas a predetermined period, it'

being important that the height of the carbid shall not extend above the ture l2 in order to prevent clogging of the latter. This conical portion 11 constitutes a support preferably of an absorbentmember 13, Washer-like in form and consisting preferably of felt. This member liesover the carbid andre'ceives the water from the feed aperture so as to evenly. distribute the liquid to the'carbid. This is an importantfeature of my invention because it const1-. tutes a means for regulatlng the generat on:

. of the gas in a steady consistent manners'o vided with an outlet l l to receive the manufactured for that the supply will be such as to eliminate fluctuation attheburner. The felt member furthermore constitutes a strainer and a cooling medium for the gases, these devices being more effective whenthe gasis thus cooled; f

.At the top the inner receptacle is proburner 15' which in turn carries a suitable chimney 16fprefer'ably' of non-breakable character such asmica. I 7

- It will be apparent from the, foregoing that the apparatus described is made up. of relatively few i parts, may be" cheaply :this reason. and yetgwill afford an entirely adequate source of'illumination for rough service such as isvmet with in they-places hereinbefore referred to. In the use of the-apparatus-it is only necessary to introduce a suitable amount of water The-water capacity of thereceptaoleis such as to always insure a proper degree. of hy drjostatic pressure above the required mini; mum for the automatic feed during the piedetermined. working period of operation so into the outer container, whereupon the inner receptacle having the tcarbid prev1j'ously supplied 'thereinto '18 disposed 111 proper position within the outer. receptacle and locked in place against displacement.

if that the Tigas -'generation will remain at highest point of 1 efliciency throughout its use'SaThus hydrostatic and atmospherlc pressure upon the fluid column will .act -to fedthe. liquid "into the inner; receptaclethrough ".theafeed aperture 12 and-the 'forshown most clearly feed aperthe inner receptacle will proceed, the back pressure'of said gas acting through aperture 12 and on the water column between the inner receptacle parts 4 and 5 being the controlling means affectingthe flow of the 'liquid into the gas generating chamber. It

exposed to the gas pressure'and is thereby controlled by said pressure; that second, when the pressure 1n the gasspace becomes,

equalto the hydrostatic pressure, the en trance of the water intothe inner container is cut offimmediately the water is pressed below thisterminal of the passage so that the gas generation will cease before the production of fluctuation in the gas fiamefiVith this construction, moreover, it is important to-note the, waterwill not-be forced outwardly in the passage 11 toj-a point below thelevel of the bottomof the innerjcontainer, so that likelihood of escape of the gas through. the liquid in the outer con.-.

tainer iiseliminated.- The action is auto-' matic and doesf not require any regulation on 'the part ofthe user of the apparatus to produce thedesired result. Ignition of the gas supplyvat the jburnertip will provide for thenecessary illuminationya-nd to facilitate the initial action of ignitlon any,

desired valve ,orpetcfock may. be provided at theatop of the parts to allow the air to' be'discharged from-thelgas chamber'as the gas forms, such; means not being illustrated as it is-conventionajlin apparatus .of this character. 1 "=When' the illumination is to be discontinued- 1t: 1s only necessary 'toremove the waterfrom the outer, receptacle. or displace the inner carbidr'eceptacle from the outer liquideontainer.

7 Having this descri ed my What I claimas new is: J l- -11; Aniilluminating device ofthe class describedcomprising a liquid holding contain'erv and a separate-gas {container adapted to receive :a. gas generating substance, one

tainer having a feedQ-a'perture below the liquid level to provide a hydrostatic pressure oolumn,: said aperturej being arranged. in spaceld relation to the: gasgenerating subarranged within the ,otheiglsaid gas con ii stance 'so' as to be. exposed to: the pressure of the gas .the: gas chamber whereby the liquid will be-fed tothegas generating sub.- stance in inverse proportion to the'extent of the pressure'in the gas chamber, and absorbent distributingcmeans disposed-in the gas chamber contact Withthegas-gener- 2. An illuminating device of the class described comprlsing a liquid holding con-' tainer and a separate gas container adapted to receive a gas generating substance, one arranged within the other, said gascontainer having a feed aperture below the liquid level to admit the liquid into the same, and absorbent means intermediate the aperture and the gas generating substance and below the said aperture to receive the liquid and evenly distribute the same thereto, said means being so arranged as to completely cover the gas forming surface of the substance to insure passage'through said means to the gas chamber, the flow of the liquid to said means being controlled by the 7 gas pressure in the gas chamber.

3. An illuminating device of the class described comprising a liquid holding container and a separate gas container adapted E to receive a gas generating substance, said as container having at its lower portion a i'eed passage for the liquid which passage extends into the gas generating chamber to a point above the gas generating substance an absorbent member arranged over the substance and so formed and arranged as to control the distribution of the liquid thereto and prevent direct passage of unstrained gas to the gas chamber, and a burner connected to said gas container.

4. An illuminating device of the class described comprising an outer receptacle for sustaining a liquid column, an inner receptacle having in its base portion a feed passage for admitting liquid into the inner receptacle under hydrostatic pressure, said passage projecting inwardly into the inner receptacle to a point above the gas forming substance disposed in the latter and having its feed aperture arranged in spaced relation to the bottom of said receptacle, said inner receptacle being adapted to receive the gas generating substance about the passage and below the feed aperture thereof, and a liquid distributing member supported by said passage and completely covering the gas generating substance.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERBERT J. BROWNE. 

